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April 28, 2009
Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Indiana’s
Retired Teachers Clears Final Legislative Hurdle
H.B. 1498 Passes House of Representatives By a Vote
of 87 to 0
INDIANAPOLIS – The President of the Indiana Retired
Teachers Association (IRTA), Eugene Wease, announced
that House Bill 1498, which will provide a cost of
living adjustment (COLA) for Indiana’s retired
teachers, cleared its final legislative hurdle
today. H.B. 1498 passed the Indiana House of
Representatives by a vote of 87 to 0. The bill was
amended in the Senate from its original form by
providing a “one time payment.” H.B. 1498 author
Representative Bill Ruppel filed a concurrence
motion stating that he agreed with the Senate
change, and the concurrence passed the House of
Representatives today. The bill now goes to the
Governor for his signature.
Under H.B. 1498, the one time payment, to be
received before October 1, 2009, would be as
follows: If a member’s creditable service is at
least 30 years the amount of the check is $450.
Those with at least 20 years but less than 30 years
will receive $375. Those with at least 10 years but
less than 20 years will receive $275. Those with at
least 5 years but less than 10 years, and only if
the member is
receiving disability retirement benefits,
will receive $150.
The original COLA proposal was introduced by
Representative Dennis Avery (D-Evansville) at the
request of the Indiana Retired Teachers Association
(IRTA). When H.B. 1022 died in the Indiana House,
the COLA language was amended into H.B. 1498,
authored by Rep. Bill Ruppel (R-N. Manchester). H.B.
1498 passed the House Ways and Means Committee on
February 19 by a vote of 21–0.
Representatives David Niezgodski (D-South Bend),
Randy Truitt (R-W. Lafayette) and Terry Goodin
(D-Austin) co-authored the bill. H.B. 1498 then
passed the Indiana House on February 25 by a vote of
91–0. H.B. 1498 then passed the Senate Committee on
Pensions and Labor on March 26 by a vote of 9–2
with Senate sponsors Senators Dennis Kruse
(R-Auburn), Karen Tallian (D-Portage), Randy Head
(R-Logansport), and Gary Dillon (R-Pierceton).
Senate Appropriations Chairman Luke Kenley
(R-Noblesville) introduced the “one-time payment”
amendment because of the poor economic condition in
Indiana and the amended bill passed his
Committee by a unanimous vote of 11–0.
H.B. 1498 then passed the full Senate by a vote of
50–0 on April 15, 2009.
The bill now goes to Governor Mitch Daniels for his
signature. The last day for the 2009 General
Assembly is April 29, 2009.
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